In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to the young Solomon in a dream by night and gave him open choice of what to receive. Solomon confessed he was but a little child unable to govern God's great numbered people, and asked above long life, riches, honor and victory for an understanding heart to judge rightly and discern between good and bad. His request pleased the Lord, who gave him wisdom unlike any before or after, added unasked riches and honor, and promised length of days if he would walk obediently as David had done. The prayer stands as a pattern for all, high and low and especially those with responsibilities in God's work, teaching petitions to seek heavenly wisdom for God's glory rather than selfish temporal gain. Solomon was never so rich or wise or truly great as when he humbly depended on God, yet when he later turned to self-reliance and indulgence he lost virtue and firmness, proving the gift only blesses while the receiver remains humble, obedient and watchful to the end.
Setting and Occasion
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and this was the first of two appearances to him. He came by His angel to instruct Solomon, conversing with him in the night season in a night vision. In that vision He spoke words of approval and counsel and gave the young and inexperienced king an open choice of what to receive. It was in Solomon's early youth and in the first years and beginning of his reign after succeeding David to the throne of Israel. At that time he loved God and was beloved of God as Jedidiah, the pride and hope of his father and the tender and only beloved of his mother. The hearts of the people were then turned toward him as they had been toward David, and they obeyed him in all things.
The appearance followed sacrifice and consecration for God's service at Gibeon. Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because that was the great high place, where the tabernacle built in the wilderness still stood. He united with his leaders in seeking acceptance with God, taking his counselors of state, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, the captains, judges, governors, and chief fathers and chief of the fathers in all Israel to offer sacrifices and consecrate themselves fully to the Lord's service. There upon the altar he offered a thousand burnt offerings. He approached Gibeon in royal state along a broad road through rugged hill country, riding in a horse-drawn chariot with richly harnessed horses, wearing flowing robes and a head covering, accompanied by attendants and mounted followers.
Request and Divine Response
God placed before the young and inexperienced king an open choice of what to receive, bidding him ask what should be given him. The offer met Solomon's desire above every earthly good for wisdom and understanding to do the work given him, his longing for quickness of mind, largeness of heart, and tenderness of spirit to bear the heavy burdens of the kingly office acceptably. Impressed with the solemnity of his responsibilities, though rich in talents and ability, he felt his helplessness and need of divine aid, realizing that without that aid he was as helpless as a little child to perform them.
He answered by recalling God's great mercy and kindness to David his father for walking before Him in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart, and for keeping kindness by giving David a son to sit on his throne in his place. As God's servant made king instead of David, pleased to hold that relation to the King of kings, he confessed that he was but a little child who did not know how to go out or come in. He noted that he stood set in the midst of God's chosen great people that cannot be numbered for multitude.
He desired wisdom and understanding above long life for himself, riches for himself, honor, and the life of his enemies. He asked for an understanding heart to judge God's people and to discern between good and bad, because no one was able to judge so great a people. That gift of an understanding heart made him exceptionally wise, wiser than all men and excelling all the wisdom of the children of the east.
The speech pleased the Lord because Solomon had asked for understanding to discern judgment. God therefore gave him a wise and an understanding heart, so that none was like him before him nor would any arise like him after him. He also gave what had not been asked, both riches and honor, so that none among the kings would be like him all his days. He added the condition and plain admonition to remain humble and obedient, that if Solomon would walk in His ways to keep His statutes and commandments as David his father walked, He would lengthen his days, and blessing and wisdom would go with him.
Solomon awoke and found it was a dream, then came to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. The wisdom given astonished the world and was extolled throughout the land, wisdom more precious than the gold of Ophir, obtained through earnest prayer and dependence upon God. It enabled him to govern the kingdom and manage its affairs with great skill and to direct the temple construction faithfully. His wisdom, character, and power brought him honor among nations, so that people came from far away to learn from him and his fame spread.
Instruction and Warning
The invitation at Gibeon and Solomon's answer form a most precious prayer of instruction indited by the Lord as a sample prayer to guide aright the desires of His servants. It is to be carefully studied in every point on which depended the receiving of the rich blessings the Lord was ready to give. It is appropriate for all, high and low, rich and poor, as a model for people of every station. It is especially valuable for everyone today with duties and responsibilities in the Lord's work, given for the guidance of those who strive to serve the Lord with singleness of heart and who cannot act acceptably without wisdom from on high.
Petitions should not proceed from hearts filled with selfish aspirations for temporal riches or worldly honor. They should choose gifts that redound to the glory of God, choosing the heavenly in place of the earthly. They should lay up treasure in heaven and a good foundation against the time to come that rejoices in riches that cannot be lost when the earthly is swept away. Heavenly wisdom enables right use of God-given talents and means without forgetting the Giver.
Solomon's prayer shows humility, earnest prayer and dependence on God. Impressed with the solemnity of his responsibilities, though rich in talents and ability, he knew that without divine aid he was as helpless as a little child to perform them. He asked not to exalt himself but to serve faithfully and bring glory to God. He was never so rich or so wise or so truly great as when he made that confession of helplessness and need.
His early life was bright with promise, but he failed to keep his contract with God. He followed the promptings of his own heart, turned from God the source of his strength to rely on himself, and the Lord left him to his own impulses. In manhood he failed to control his love of women, surrendered virtue to lustful passion, was led by his wives into idolatry, lost firmness of character, yielded principle and separated himself from God. So his character and rule declined, and the God-given wisdom, more precious than the gold of Ophir, was removed in its benefit.
The gift did not remove the need to preserve virtue and depend on God to the very last, leaving a lesson for watchfulness and for strength from God to the end. When he turned from that source he fell a prey to temptation. The remarkable abilities and marvelous powers bestowed on him as the wisest of kings only made him a more effective agent of evil and of the adversary of souls.
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to the young Solomon in a dream by night and gave him open choice of what to receive. Solomon confessed he was but a little child unable to govern God's great numbered people, and asked above long life, riches, honor and victory for an understanding heart to judge rightly and discern between good and bad. His request pleased the Lord, who gave him wisdom unlike any before or after, added unasked riches and honor, and promised length of days if he would walk obediently as David had done. The prayer stands as a pattern for all, high and low and especially those with responsibilities in God's work, teaching petitions to seek heavenly wisdom for God's glory rather than selfish temporal gain. Solomon was never so rich or wise or truly great as when he humbly depended on God, yet when he later turned to self-reliance and indulgence he lost virtue and firmness, proving the gift only blesses while the receiver remains humble, obedient and watchful to the end.
Setting and Occasion
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and this was the first of two appearances to him. He came by His angel to instruct Solomon, conversing with him in the night season in a night vision. In that vision He spoke words of approval and counsel and gave the young and inexperienced king an open choice of what to receive. It was in Solomon's early youth and in the first years and beginning of his reign after succeeding David to the throne of Israel. At that time he loved God and was beloved of God as Jedidiah, the pride and hope of his father and the tender and only beloved of his mother. The hearts of the people were then turned toward him as they had been toward David, and they obeyed him in all things.
The appearance followed sacrifice and consecration for God's service at Gibeon. Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because that was the great high place, where the tabernacle built in the wilderness still stood. He united with his leaders in seeking acceptance with God, taking his counselors of state, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, the captains, judges, governors, and chief fathers and chief of the fathers in all Israel to offer sacrifices and consecrate themselves fully to the Lord's service. There upon the altar he offered a thousand burnt offerings. He approached Gibeon in royal state along a broad road through rugged hill country, riding in a horse-drawn chariot with richly harnessed horses, wearing flowing robes and a head covering, accompanied by attendants and mounted followers.
Request and Divine Response
God placed before the young and inexperienced king an open choice of what to receive, bidding him ask what should be given him. The offer met Solomon's desire above every earthly good for wisdom and understanding to do the work given him, his longing for quickness of mind, largeness of heart, and tenderness of spirit to bear the heavy burdens of the kingly office acceptably. Impressed with the solemnity of his responsibilities, though rich in talents and ability, he felt his helplessness and need of divine aid, realizing that without that aid he was as helpless as a little child to perform them.
He answered by recalling God's great mercy and kindness to David his father for walking before Him in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart, and for keeping kindness by giving David a son to sit on his throne in his place. As God's servant made king instead of David, pleased to hold that relation to the King of kings, he confessed that he was but a little child who did not know how to go out or come in. He noted that he stood set in the midst of God's chosen great people that cannot be numbered for multitude.
He desired wisdom and understanding above long life for himself, riches for himself, honor, and the life of his enemies. He asked for an understanding heart to judge God's people and to discern between good and bad, because no one was able to judge so great a people. That gift of an understanding heart made him exceptionally wise, wiser than all men and excelling all the wisdom of the children of the east.
The speech pleased the Lord because Solomon had asked for understanding to discern judgment. God therefore gave him a wise and an understanding heart, so that none was like him before him nor would any arise like him after him. He also gave what had not been asked, both riches and honor, so that none among the kings would be like him all his days. He added the condition and plain admonition to remain humble and obedient, that if Solomon would walk in His ways to keep His statutes and commandments as David his father walked, He would lengthen his days, and blessing and wisdom would go with him.
Solomon awoke and found it was a dream, then came to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. The wisdom given astonished the world and was extolled throughout the land, wisdom more precious than the gold of Ophir, obtained through earnest prayer and dependence upon God. It enabled him to govern the kingdom and manage its affairs with great skill and to direct the temple construction faithfully. His wisdom, character, and power brought him honor among nations, so that people came from far away to learn from him and his fame spread.
Instruction and Warning
The invitation at Gibeon and Solomon's answer form a most precious prayer of instruction indited by the Lord as a sample prayer to guide aright the desires of His servants. It is to be carefully studied in every point on which depended the receiving of the rich blessings the Lord was ready to give. It is appropriate for all, high and low, rich and poor, as a model for people of every station. It is especially valuable for everyone today with duties and responsibilities in the Lord's work, given for the guidance of those who strive to serve the Lord with singleness of heart and who cannot act acceptably without wisdom from on high.
Petitions should not proceed from hearts filled with selfish aspirations for temporal riches or worldly honor. They should choose gifts that redound to the glory of God, choosing the heavenly in place of the earthly. They should lay up treasure in heaven and a good foundation against the time to come that rejoices in riches that cannot be lost when the earthly is swept away. Heavenly wisdom enables right use of God-given talents and means without forgetting the Giver.
Solomon's prayer shows humility, earnest prayer and dependence on God. Impressed with the solemnity of his responsibilities, though rich in talents and ability, he knew that without divine aid he was as helpless as a little child to perform them. He asked not to exalt himself but to serve faithfully and bring glory to God. He was never so rich or so wise or so truly great as when he made that confession of helplessness and need.
His early life was bright with promise, but he failed to keep his contract with God. He followed the promptings of his own heart, turned from God the source of his strength to rely on himself, and the Lord left him to his own impulses. In manhood he failed to control his love of women, surrendered virtue to lustful passion, was led by his wives into idolatry, lost firmness of character, yielded principle and separated himself from God. So his character and rule declined, and the God-given wisdom, more precious than the gold of Ophir, was removed in its benefit.
The gift did not remove the need to preserve virtue and depend on God to the very last, leaving a lesson for watchfulness and for strength from God to the end. When he turned from that source he fell a prey to temptation. The remarkable abilities and marvelous powers bestowed on him as the wisest of kings only made him a more effective agent of evil and of the adversary of souls.